Container carrier



Sept. 29, 1970 H. WANDERER CONTAINER CARRIER Filed Aug. 22, 1968 7%, Mai,

United States Patent U.S. Cl. 206-65 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A carrier device formed of a single sheet of resilient, flexible plastic material for accommodating a group of containers arranged in a predetermined pattern, comprising a center, a planar section adapted to engage first ends of the containers, a pair of side, planar sections adapted to be extended along opposite sides of the group of containers and each including a plurality of cut-outs therein, each of the cut-outs being dimensioned to receive snugly therein, a side portion of one of the containers of the group, and a pair of interconnected, planar sections, each of which is in turn connected to a respective one of the side planar sections, and is adapted to engage the second ends of the containers, thereby to secure the containers within the carrier device.

DISCLOSURE This invention relates generally to carrier devices and more particularly to beverage or the like container carriers.

It is an object of this invention to provide a new and improved, one-piece foldable carrier device for beverage or the like containers which encircles the containers and engages side portions thereof for securely retaining the containers in a package and resisting shifting of the containers within the package.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a container carrier of the last-mentioned type which is especially well suited for use with bottles.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a one-piece, flexible sheet material carrier adapted to be folded about a plurality of beverage or the like bottles to receive side portions of the bottles in complementarily shaped apertures or cut-outs formed therein, and to grip the bottles vertically at the base and neck portions thereof.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved bottle carrier package utilizing a carrier device of the above-described type.

A better understanding of the present invention and its organization and construction may be held by referring to the description below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side plan view of a carrier package according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is an end view of the carrier package of FIG. 1;

F FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the carrier package of FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the carrier package of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary, partial cross-sectional view of the carrier package of FIG. 1, taken along the line 55 thereof; and

FIG. 6 is a plan view of a carrier device according to the invention shown in an unassembled condition.

Referring now to the drawings more in detail, a carrier package 10 is shown in FIGS. 1-5 thereof. The carrier package 10 includes a plurality of containers 12. While. various containers such as cans or bottles may be packaged, the carrier is especially suitable for use with bottles.

In the embodiment shown, the bottles are arranged in a group comprising two adjacent rows of three containers, each held securely by means of a carrier device 14 according to the invention.

The carrier device 14 is shown in FIG. 6 as it appears prior to being assembled with the bottles 12. The carrier device 14 includes a single, substantially rectangular sheet 16 as flexible, resilient plastic or the like material; such as, for example, polyethylene. The sheet 16 comprises a pair of opposing side edges 18 and 20 and a pair of interconnecting opposing end edges 22 and 24, and is divided into five sections or planar panels 26, 28, 30, 32 and 34 which are joined respectively at fold lines 36, 38, 40 and 42; sections 26 and 34, as well as sections 28 and 32 being similar in shape.

The center section 30 of sheet 16 is rectangularly shaped, having a pair of opposing side margins defined by the fold lines 38 and 40 and a pair of end margins 43 and 44 coincident with edges 18 and 20 respectively of sheet 16. A center handle 44a integral with section 30 extends between a pair of finger-receiving apertures 4'5 and 47, for transporting the carrier package.

The similar sections 28 and 32 are located on opposite sides along fold lines 38 and 40, respectively, of section 30 the outer or end margins thereof being boarded by the side edges 18 and 20 of sheet 16. Each of the planar panels or sections includes a plurality of predeterminedly shaped, spaced-apart apertures 46, preferably stamped therein, and which extend longitudinally of the carrier sheet 16. The apertures have a shape complementary to that of the containers to be accompanied by the carrier and a maximum width less than the diameter of the containers, but sufliciently similar to the diameters to enable substantial portions of the containers to project therethrough, as described below. In the case at hand, wherein carrier 14 is to accommodate the bottles 12, each aperture 46 has a shape similar to that of a bottle; i.e., having a tapered triangular neck opening 48 and a rectangular body opening 50.

The remaining outer panels or sections 26 and 34 are joined along fold lines 36 and 42 to sections 28 and 32, respectively, and extend to end edges 24 and 22 of sheet 16, respectively. As will be explained hereinafter, the lastmentioned sections 26 and 34 provide a base support for the containers secured within the assembled carrier 14.

It should be noted that the carrier 14 of FIG. 6 is constructed so as to accommodatesix containers, in this case bottles 12, to form what is commonly referred to as a six pack. It is possible, however, to provide a carrier according to the invention which accommodates a lesser or greater number of containers and which also comes within the scope and spirit of the present invention.

The carrier 14 is easily assembled about the bottles to form the carrier package 10 of FIGS. l-S. To accomplish the assembling of carrier 14 about the bottles, the latter must first be arranged in a pattern having three pairs thereof adjacent each other to form a two-by-three group arrangement (FIG. 3). When this has been done, the center section or panel 30 of the carrier is placed over the top in engagement with the capped ends 52 of the bottles. The carrier is then folded at fold lines'38 and 40 so that sections 28 and 32 are moved downwardly, thereby to cause each of the bottles 12 to be fitted into a respective one of the complementary apertures 46. As will be noted, a portion of each of the bottles extends outwardly of carrier 14 through a corresponding aperture. Sections 26 and 34 are then folded into overlapping relationship and are joined to each other to form a seam 60', either by heat sealing, with fasteners of a well-known type, or with adhesive (see FIG. 4) to secure the carrier package in an assembled condition.

A side portion of each bottle fits snugly into an aperture 46 and is engaged by the carrier along opposite sides of its body 56, near the junction 54 of the neck and body, as well as at the base of the bottle 42. The arrangement is such that marginal portions of the plastic sheet defining each aperture 46 is stretched by the snug fit of the containers so that it is securely retained within and against shifting within the carrier. To reduce or prevent jarring of the bottles against each other, strips 62 of the carrier sheet 16 are provided between the bottles 12 and, if desired, the width of these strips may be increased sufficiently to prevent adjacentbottles in the same row from contacting each other. The bottles are supported at their bases by means of the planar panels or sections 26 and 34 are held at the tops or capped ends thereof by center section 30. Thus, the bottles are gripped sufliciently at both ends and along sides thereof so as to be firmly held within carrier 14.

The carrier 14 as described is simple in construction, but highly eflicient in use, since bottles or such containers held therein are secured at both ends and vertically along side Wall portions thereof for maximum protection. Furthermore, the carrier is inexpensive and easy to produce.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, it should be understood that the invention is not limited thereto, since many modifications may be made.

What is claimed is:

1. A package for containers including a carrier device for accommodating a plurality of containers arranged in two adjacent rows, said carrier device comprising a sheet of flexible resilient material including a center section adapted to overlie first end portions of the containers of said group, first and second panel sections connected to opposite sides of said center section and each including a plurality of aperture means therein, each aperture means being dimensioned for receipt of a base portion of a container of said group, said first panel section extending along outer side portions of the containers of a first row of said group with one of said containers thereof being received snugly in each of said aperture means, said second panel section extending along outer side portions of the containers of the second row of said group with one of said containers thereof being received snugly in each of said aperture means, and means connecting said first and second panel sections adjacent opposite ends of the containers of said group to secure said containers in said carrier device. 1

2. A package as claimed in claim 1 wherein said carrier device is for the accommodation of bottles, each having a tapered neck and a generally cylindrical body, and wherein each of said aperture means in said first and second panel sections is complementarily formed to receive one of said bottles and includes a first triangular end portion and a second rectangular end portion.

3. A package as claimed in claim 1 wherein said carrier device further includes strips of material extending between adjacent aperture means for extending between containers of said first and second rows, respectively to minimize contact between said containers when the carrier device is assembled with the containers.

4. A carrier jackage comprising: a group of containers arranged in a pair of adjacent rows, each of said containers having a first end and a base end, and a carrier device assembled with said group of containers to facilitate transporting thereof as a unit, said carrier device being formed from a flexible resilient sheet material and comprising a first panel section overlying first end portions of said containers, second and third similar generally planar panel sections, each being connected to said first panel section at opposite ends thereof, and each including a plurality of aperture means therein, each said aperture means having a shape complementary to that of one of said containers of said group, said second-panel section extending along the outwardly facing side portions of the containers of the first row of said group with each of the containers thereof having a side and base portion received snugly in a respective one of said aperture means, said third panel section extending along the outwardly facing side portions of the containers of the second row of said group, with each of the containers thereof having side and base portions received snugly in a responsive one of said aperture means, and means connected to and extending between said second and third panel sections at the ends thereof opposite said first panel section and engaging the base ends of said containers.

5. A carrier package as claimed in claim 4 wherein each of said containers is gripped vertically in a respective one of said apertures of said carrier device and extends partially outwardly of said carrier device through said aperture.

6. A carrier package as claimed in claim 4 wherein said second and third panel sections each includes a plurality of strips of material, each located between respective adjacent aperture means, and between adjacent containers of respective rows of said group, thereby to minimize contact between said containers in said carrier package.

7. A carrier package as claimed in claim 4 wherein said carrier device is formed from a single sheet of plastic material and wherein said first planar panel section includes, formed integrally therewith, a handle for carrying said package. References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,022,557 11/1935 Caggiano. 2,070,399 2/1937 Goldring 220101 3,400,810 9/ 1968 Makowski.

WILLIAM T. DIXSON, JR., Primary Examiner US. 01. X.R. 220-402 

